Sports Blogs

How Hayward measures up

One of the most interesting reads every late spring/early summer is the grid detailing the physical testing results and measurements of the NBA draft prospects who are invited to the pre-draft workout in Chicago.

With schools no longer able to inflate a player's height or wingspan, and coaches no longer able to pump up a player's physical abilities, the truth about many players is finally uncovered.

In the case of MU's Lazar Hayward, there was plenty to be surprised about.

His height (6 feet 4 1/2 inches in bare feet, 6-5 3/4 in shoes) was pretty much in line with the 6-6 he was listed at while at MU. But his wingspan (7-0 3/4), maximum vertical leap (36 inches) and agility (10.87 seconds) jumped right off the page.

While Hayward was never a shotblocker with the Golden Eagles, his long arms no doubt helped him defensively while routinely guarding bigger players. At the next level they figure to come in handy as he seeks to compensate for not being quite as quick as some of the shooting guards he'll be forced to defend.

Hayward's vertical leap steadily got better over his four years at MU. While he's certainly no skywalker, he'll be able to hold his own against similar-sized players on the wing in that area. I think back to the one-handed flush he had a few steps out of the lane at Providence this past season; it was a power move that he made with no run-up, a play he wouldn't have made a few years ago.

His performance in the agility test might have been the most eye-opening. With his athleticism and ability to move laterally perhaps most critical in teams' eyes, as they try to determine whether he'll be able to defend shooting guards off the dribble, Hayward more than answered the doubts in Chicago.

The drill, which sees a player run forward, laterally and backward around a U-shaped section of cones, tripped up a number of players considered to be better athletes than Hayward. And by the time all was said and done, his time of 10.87 ranked second-best among the 46 players who took part in it.

The only faster time? A 10.84 put up by none other than Kentucky's John Wall, the consensus No. 1 overall pick.

Additionally, Hayward's 15 repetitions at 185 pounds on the bench press tied him for 10th place with Georgetown's Greg Monroe and Nevada's Luke Babbitt, two other players expected to go in the top 20 or so picks.

You can find the rest of Hayward's numbers -- as well as those of his competition -- with this link at draftexpress.com.

While they're only part of the puzzle heading into the draft late next month, the numbers Hayward put up could wind up being the difference between him hearing his name called that night or winding up having to make his mark as a rookie free agent.

By most accounts his workouts for teams have been going well, and he'll have the added benefit of Wesley Matthews having slipped through the cracks last year around this time only to become a valuable contributor for a playoff team in the Utah Jazz as well.

Not surprisingly, his work ethic and leadership has earned him high marks from teams, as have his interviews. ESPN's Andy Katz listed him as one of the top surprises at this point in the draft process, going so far as to say he could be in the mix as a late first-round pick according to the buzz (not Buzz).